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World Hymn
The World Hymn is a dwarven poem dating from the first century of the ninth age, which details the nine ages of the world. The hymn was later copied to an Equitan tapestry. A reproduction of that tapestry is now presumably all that remains, at least to human historians. The hymn is written on a rhyming verse and is divided into nine sections, one for each age of the world. All but the last section is further subdivided into five stanzas. The hymn is also accompanied by an image for each age, which depicts some of the events described in the poem, as well as others. The World Hymn (T9A:FB Rulebook, p126-130) . . The hymn is written is a very personal manner, repeatedly using the term 'we'. This can be interpreted as it's authors or commissioner, neither of whom is known, or as referring to all of dwarf-kind. The World Hymn as a narrator The World Hymn is the single largest source of the history of the world. Because it is so large, many smaller sources touch upon the events it describes, often giving an at least similar view. The poem is old though, and has been copied or reproduced at least two times before reaching the state in which it is presented in. How much is lost in these copies and reproductions is unknown. Transcript The following is a transcript of the World Hymn. The stanzas are not originally numbered, this system is added here to ease references to the hymn. First Age 1.1 In cavern deep, in mountains old We sing the hymn, we mark the way Remembrance past, to future’s day Let none forget, the ancient ley To mark the path of home and hold 1.2 Our tale begins in Sauran yoke In chains and pain forlorn of hope Without our pride we labor’d ‘til In darkest days our fate unmade For comet’s fall our shackles broke 1.3 We mined the gold they craved and stole With which to power arcane machines And build their ugly ziggurats So old were they, while we were young As yet we had not found our soul 1.4 Unmeasured Ages came and went So long that none can know the count But wait we did with vigilance Until we saw an opening A time to make their cities rent 1.5 Skyhammer’s gift a vengeance born We slew and killed who’s blood was cold Together bound as brothers sworn Second Age 2.1 A time of gold a time of growth The world was our inheritance So rich the land so ripe it lay Our people free, we grew at last In riches grand and oathbound troth 2.2 And long lost kin we were to find That golden time as West met East Though trouble brewed and ne’er we saw That fair-eyed orc that Akrübad Who soon to come would take and bind 2.3 We folk of stone our oaths as firm And in the Mountains of the Moon We bound our fates and paid our debts To kin and kith our honor bound And wealth to grow to come full term 2.4 And all this while the elves did sail To take the seas and make their seat On island shore so far from home Fair Celeda Ablan they wrought To ply the world on ev’ry gale 2.5 And men did then forge crowns and kings O’er land as far as grass does grow Yet no good lasts all things take wing Third Age 3.1 The Age of Death, the loss of gold A time when earth would swallow whole Nor fae nor men nor orc nor we All lost and toss’d and bent and broke A time of pain to each ring Hold 3.2 The beasts did rise and burn and loot No wall of shield or hold could stand And fickle elves did leave and run And men so quick to alter word Do promise cut and render mute 3.3 The dead did rise on southern shore An empire dead its heart torn out No aid to come from human hands The hour grew dark, and foes in count So press’d were we, like ne’er before 3.4 We call on elves to help us hold ‘Gainst all that stood to break us then And end the light of dwarven works They turn’d their backs on us those days Betraying us, with scandal bold 3.5 Now allies old do stand as foes As mountains fall so too we break And thus bring close this Age of Woes Fourth Age 4.1 An Age of Ruin, an Age of Iron As split was world so too were we Our only hope a foreign truce With Avras proud we did ally To war ‘gainst fate we did return 4.2 From elves disloyal no aid was found ‘Cross endless sea retreat and flee Unfit they are of dwarven aid Not worth the fire of dwarven rage The path they tread is ruin bound 4.3 Of orcs of men of beasts no end Now war and siege and misery As one we kill so sprout two more And flight nor fight avail a dwarf Our dominance so too now rent 4.4 Endless foes did split us sunder The orc and beast our gates did press The hold’s rings split like maille from axe No valour won could mend the loss As foreign blades took our plunder 4.5 Our kith and kin no longer free Our axe and shields unequal were Our vengeance sworn forever be Fifth Age 5.1 An Age of Plague the Third of Ruin Redoubled might, redoubled maille We thicken armour, sharpen blade We harden hearts, and bolster soul Unknown to us new foes drew in 5.2 We paid it back the gift of men Who came to aid when so beset We shared the greatest gift of all The gift of stone and mountain’s call Thus we built great Avras’ wall 5.3 The Mountains White once lost to us We marched upon and took anew Alliance made at last with men A peace to hold and carry forth O’er earth and mount an honoured trust 5.4 At last we saw our hidden foe As elf slew elf across the sea Great sickness spread ‘cross ev’ry land And vermin rose upon its wake To murder men and dwarf to woe 5.5 The empire fell the rats took throne Did murder life and poison land They left in wake but Avras’ bone Sixth Age 6.1 The Age of War, of Ruin the Fourth The time our foes do fight betwixt We sharpen axe we ready blade In dungeons deep we plan and wait For chance to move our armies forth 6.2 Each Thane each King each soldier in Our people sworn to hold the line To march together step in step To turn each foeman’s sword aside With faith in kin alone we win 6.3 And yet with all in steel and arms Our fight was not without its trials The orcs had numbers beyond count And war thus raged across the age With no-one spared its many harms 6.4 For all this though we did win out No hope had orcs enclosed by all To beasts they fell and feast be made No hope had beast whose end was next As Vermin Swarm did make them rout 6.5 Yet far kin sorely sought respite Did plot to win with daemon fire And risk all life in burning blight Seventh Age 7.1 With fire enslaved our kin now set To savage foes now weak and spent Enslaving all that once had fought With crushing might but morals less They scour the world for slaves to get 7.2 But magic tests and poisons soul And even dwarven might is sapp’d As nether power must be shunn’d All who dare It become debased And tear the world and harm it whole 7.3 So evil flourished cross the land With mountain quakes and floods and storms And daemons came like never hence To bring us death and rage and scorn In truth our end does seem at hand 7.4 The East remains a place of death And Vetia vermin conquered A dark King rules the last free men And so they live in fear and dread No place of peace no easy breath 7.5 These darken’d days these forlorn nights This Age of Thunder so did rage With none to set the wrongs to right Eighth Age 8.1 The Age of Waste the time of Fire Our kin have fail’d and woe have wrought For devils cannot loyal be And all is lost in burning death With daemons free the world a pyre 8.2 A cataclysmic wake they left And burn the land and open gates To realms unholy, realms debased And men such fools do worship Hell And left us all of peace bereft 8.3 But one good thing did come from fire That men at last did come combined Together stood o’er vermin slain Held back the dark and worshipp’d day Thus did It end this time of ire 8.4 The girl of sun and steel arose She slew the King of rats and filth So like a dwarf she stood so proud Remembering the oaths long lost Renewing friends and true allies 8.5 The swords of men ascendant now And much a mess and much a ruin And they will rule with troubled brow Ninth Age 9.1 Our past did end in fire and rage Out from the ash and bitter smoke We look to hope and keep it close As all did see our near to end Yet live to see this, our Ninth Age Summary First and second age: Dwarven liberation and growth The Hymn begins by telling of dwarven slavery under 'sauran' overlords. The dwarves successful rebells in the last stanza of the first age. The second age tells of a gilded time of growth and riches for the dwarves. They forge an alliance with the elves and watch the coming of man. Ages of Ruin The Hymn groups at least four ages together as ages of ruin. The Fourth Age is named as 'an' age of ruin, whereas the 5th and 6th ages are called the third and fourth age of ruin, respectively. The World Hymn, a reproduction of an Equitan tapestry, itself believed to be a copy of an ancient dwarven carving and poem dating from the first century AS. (Main Rulebook) Since the three ages specifically noted as ages of ruin are consecutive, it is reasonable to assume that the Third Age is the first age of ruin. This is supported by the fact that the Third Age is called an age of death, whereas the first two ages are described in decidedly more positive terms. The ages of ruin are all marked by war and calamity. They are not favourably remembered by the Hymn's dwarven creators. Sources Category:History